Prevalence of Retinal Vein Occlusion in Europe: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and incidence of retinal vein occlusions (RVO) in Europe.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and incidence of RVO in Europe according to the Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines was performed in the databases PubMed, Embase and Web of Science. Based on Eurostat data, the total number of affected individuals in the EU was calculated and projected to the year 2050.

Results: The random-effects pooled prevalence of RVO in Europe was 0.7% (95% CI: 0.5-0.9%) in persons aged 55 years and older based on the examination of 25,002 individuals from 4 prevalence studies. No European incidence studies were identified. The total number of affected individuals in the EU was estimated to rise by almost 20% from 900,000 today to 1.1 million in 2050.

Conclusion: Published articles on the prevalence and incidence of RVO in Europe are limited. With the expected increase in affected persons, further epidemiological research is warranted for adequate healthcare planning.